Let’s Move! Child Care (LMCC) is part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative to prevent childhood obesity. LMCC encourages and supports child care and early education providers to make positive changes in their programs in order to work toward a healthier future for children. LMCC is voluntary and for all types of programs: family child care homes, centers, Early Head Start and Head Start programs, preschool, tribal programs and faith-based programs.

LMCC offers childhood obesity prevention resources and tools to assist child care and preschool providers. Best practices are outlined in five healthy goal areas: nurturing healthy eaters, providing healthy beverages, increasing physical activity, limiting screen time and supporting breastfeeding. Providers who fully meet these best practices are rewarded with a certificate of completion and featured on a map of recognized providers.

Healthy Child Care Resources

Child Care Provider’s Guide: A simple stage-by-stage child care resource with information and tips about healthy eating and physical activity for babies, toddlers and preschoolers from Nemours’ KidsHealth.org, the most-visited children’s health website in the world. Offers practical suggestions, research findings and best practices about children’s nutrition and fitness.

Model Child Care Health Policies: This valuable resource from the American Academy of Pediatrics takes the mystery out of policy writing, covering all facets of early care and education. These model policies, covering a wide range of topics, ease the burden of writing site-specific health and safety policies from scratch.

Preventing Childhood Obesity in Early Care and Education Programs: A new set of national standards describing evidence-based best practices in healthy eating, physical activity and screen time. Part of the new comprehensive Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards; Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs, 3rd Edition (CFOC3).

Smart from the Start’s Enrichment Zone (EZ): These quick and easy lessons are fun and play-based, and can be used by parents, caregivers and volunteers to teach children important skills they need to develop healthy habits. By taking part in these activities, children will learn how food provides the energy they need to play and how to move throughout the day to keep their bodies strong and healthy.

ABC’s of a Healthy Me: This handout reviews the ABCs of a healthy child in your care: Active play, Breastfeeding, Cutting down on screen time, Drinking milk and water, and Eating healthy foods. Also available in Spanish.

Building a Healthy Start: These training modules from Alabama Public Health address a specific issue and focus on information specific to the care of infants and toddlers related to that issue. Topics include “Feeding Infants and Toddlers in Early Childhood Settings” and “Promoting Physical Activity for Infants and Toddlers in Early Childhood Settings.”

Sowing The Seeds Of The Future: Long Island Head Start improved healthy habits in many ways. They increased vegetable and fruit consumption and adopted several new physical activities. Incorporating yoga into the children’s routine has improved wellness, focus and creativity. Through gardening activities children enjoy learning about where food comes from. Watch the kids in action and interviews with proud parents and teachers.